administrator | Slice of Health

Author Archives: administrator

8 Myths & Facts about Breast Cancer

It is Breast Cancer Awareness month and there is a reason why so many initiatives are being taken across the world by health organizations to spread knowledge about it. A lot of women tend to ignore the signs of breast cancer and are not aware of the concept of mammograms. Even if they do, only a few percentage of women across the world periodically do these tests. Before talking about the symptoms of breast cancer, every women out there should know the common misconceptions surrounding breast cancer.

Read ahead and find out the truth yourself!

Myth 1: Only women with a family history of breast cancer are at risk.
Truth: Although having a family history increases the risk of developing the disease, it doesn’t necessarily mean you will get it. Around 70% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have a clear family history and they get it despite that.

Myth 2: All breast lumps are cancerous.
Truth: Close to 80% of lumps are benign (non-cancerous), however it is advisable to get a mammogram done every year and get proper medical advice from specialists.

Myth 3: All women across ages have an equal chance of getting breast cancer.
Truth: Your risk of getting the disease actually increases with age. A woman’s chance of being diagnosed is 1 in 233 when she is in her 30s and later increases to 1 in 8 when she hits her 80s.

Myth 4: Small breasts are less likely to be affected compare to larger breasts.
Truth: Breasts are breasts! Size doesn’t matter.

Myth 5: Only lumps are signs of breast cancer.
Truth: Lumps are major indicators of breast cancer however other signs like swelling, pain in the nipples, nipple retraction, peculiar discharge, etc. shouldn’t be ignored.

Myth 6: After mastectomy, you can’t get breast cancer.
Truth: Tumour is basically a permanent damage caused to your cells. Such tumours may develop anytime and even recur from old ones.

Myth 7: Annual Mammograms may result in breast cancer due to harmful radiation.
Truth: Yes, there is radiation in mammography. But it is imperative to understand that its proportion is very small and does more good than harm by detecting even small carcinogenic lumps.

Myth 8: Men don’t get breast cancer.
Truth: Unfortunately, a few men are prone to this as well. Around 2600 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year and about one-fifth of them die from this disease.

References:

http://www.breastcancerdeadlin e2020.org/breast-cancer- information/myths-and-truths/? referrer=https://www.google.co.in/?referrer=http://www.bre astcancerdeadline2020.org/brea st-cancer-information/myths- and-truths/

http://www.breastcancer.org/ri sk/factors/slideshows/myths-fa cts?slide=1

Say Goodbye to Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder also called manic depression affects 1 in every 100 adults in the world. Men and women are affected equally and it requires a long term treatment. The treatment for bipolar disorder is different for different people depending on the type of disorder they have. Keeping track of your daily mood graph and wellness plan is very important to get better. There are 3 types of bipolar disorders based on its severity- Mania, Hypomania & Cyclothymia, where the latter is a milder form of bipolar disorder and hence is the best and easy stage to be monitored and treated.

Symptoms

· Extreme Sadness and unexplained crying spells

· Lack of interest in food

· Recurring anxieties

· Running empty & always low in energy

· Inability to take decisions

· Unexplained pains & aches in the body

· Feeling suicidal

Treatment
3 types of therapy have shown results on people with bipolar disorder.
1. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy where you learn how your body and mind respond to different situations and try to change negative thinking patterns and behaviours into more positive ways of responding.

2. Interpersonal & Social Rhythm Cycle where the main focus is to regularize your circadian rhythms by setting a particular time for sleeping, eating, exercising and socializing.

3. Family Focused Therapy where the family members supporting the patient are exposed to set protocols that will help them talk and behave in a way that makes the patient feel secure and loved.

There are also other complementary therapies like meditation, acupuncture, light and dark therapy, etc. that help improve the mental stability of such patients.
Other lifestyle changes that have also proven to help:

· Avoid travelling frequently on other time zones

· Take medications regularly & never miss out on your appointments with the physician

· Ensure you get the same number of hours of sleep everyday

· Limit caffeine, nicotine and alcohol intake

· Eat a healthy & balanced diet with no processed food

References:
http://www.helpguide.org/artic les/bipolar-disorder/bipolar- disorder-treatment.htm

http://www.health.com/health/g allery/0,,20306885,00.html

8 Warnings Your Nails Give You

Nails have long been regarded by a lot of people around the world as an aesthetic attribute. Not many of us know that nails can actually be a reflection of your overall health and well-being. Nails are nothing but dead cells released by the body during cell repair and renewal which is a naturally occurring process. As a result, it ends up providing clues to the status of your internal body/system functioning. Most of the systemic problems related to the body can result in a significant change in the nail’s shape, texture or even colour.
The next time you notice any of the following abnormalities in your nail, please visit your doctor to nip things in the bud.
1. White Spots

These spots are commonly found in people and most of the time signify iron deficiency. If the white spots are persistent and don’t go away, it might need some attention as it may be due to a fungal infection.

2. Yellow Nails

Yellow nails can be due to the use of excessive chemicals like acrylic on your nails. During such cases it is important to set aside your nail colours and allow them to breathe. In some cases, smoking can also lead to nail discoloration and it may indicate a severe lung disease. Less often, yellow nails could be related to psoriasis, thyroid problems and diabetes.

3. Dark/Black Spots

Black spots or streaks that are painful or not may require immediate medical attention as this might indicate skin cancer. In some cases, an accident or a trauma to the nails could also result in blood clots due to which the spots appear.

Middle Finger with Bruised Nail

4. Dry, brittle or cracked nails
Dry and brittle nails can occur because of various lifestyle factors. Most of the time it doesn’t signify any major illness but research shows that one in five people having this condition have also had hypothyroidism. Sometimes lack of Vitamin A, B or C may also result in cracked nails due to the poor nourishment of the connective tissue.

5. Spoon nails

Spoon nails are nails that curve upward towards the tip and may be because of anaemia (iron deficiency) or hemochromatosis (excess absorption of iron).

6. Pitting

If you find a lot of pits or dents in your nails instead of having a levelled finish, it might often be a sign of psoriasis. It can also be because of connective tissue disorder or alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss.

7. Horizontal ridges

These ridges are usually white in colour and may be due to trauma or high fever. These are also called Beau’s lines and may indicate psoriasis, zinc deficiency, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus or even circulatory disorders. Similarly some people might get vertical ridges which most often are not a threatening symptom but only indicate lack of vitamins and nutrients like B12 and magnesium.

8. Clubbing

Clubbing of nails happen when your fingertip becomes enlarged and your nails curve downward. It can be related to poor oxygen supply to the body resulting in liver disease, lung disease, heart disease and other bowel problems. People having AIDS may also have clubbing of nails.

References:

http://articles.mercola.com/si tes/articles/archive/2015/12/0 7/10-nail-symptoms.aspx

http://news.health.com/2015/11 /16/nail-health/

Is Worrying your Super Power?

The festive season may be associated with fun and relaxing moments for many of us, but there are also a few in the crowd who start getting anxious thinking about the things they need to do to prepare for the season – be it at work or at home. Sometimes it gets so overwhelming that it brings in more stress than usual. The best way to enjoy a worry-free life is to calm down and not push yourself to the limit of being overwhelmed or frustrated.
Before stress can hit you, start practicing these quick and easy ways to keep your cool, no matter what!
1. Massage
What’s more soothing than a relaxing shoulder massage? Get somebody to help you with this because massages are a proven way to instantly calm your stressed mind. If there’s no one around, you can always opt for a hand massage which you can do yourself by gently pressing your palms.

2. Mindful Sighing
Sighing can be a natural reaction to a particular situation but research has proven that when you mindfully do it, i.e. when you breathe in to a count of five through your mouth and then let it out for 15-20 times, it instantly boosts your energy levels up.

3. Monkey Stretches

These stretches are powerful relievers of jitters and panics. When you do these stretches you tend to work your arms by lifting them up and bending down to touch your feet. When you keep alternating your hands and legs, these stimulate the neuro-centres of the brain responsible for triggering the happy hormones.

4. Coax your pet

You can be a dog lover or a cat lover. At the end of the day, playing with your pets has been proven to increase your body’s endorphin level thereby relieving you of unwanted tension and stress.

5. Hug yourself

It is not without a reason that people hug when they are happy and also do it when they are in need of some consolation. Similarly, self-hugs induce happiness too. A ten second self-hug a day can stimulate your biochemical and psychological systems in your body and reduce any kind of fatigue.

6. Shake & Shake

Animals like antelopes try to come out of their panic mode when they see predators by shaking their body. It has been proven that humans can indulge in this technique too for 15 minutes a day, where they just have to keep moving and shaking their body parts. This may not be an elegant sight to watch but it definitely has some psychological benefits.

References:
http://www.lifehack.org/articl es/productivity/7-quick-ways- calm-down-when-you-are-overwhe lmed.html

http://www.everydayhealth.com/ columns/therese-borchard-sanit y-break/10-quick-ways-to-calm- down/

6 Tips to Embrace Food & Festivals

What’s a festival without food? A lot of planning goes into the culinary aspect of a festival. And since most of the time it is a grand family get together, the menu is a never ending trail filled with sweets and calories. It is better to restrict your intake rather than binge eating and cringing later. Many of the foods prepared during this season are unhealthy if consumed in large quantities; so the trick here is to watch what you eat. You may think it’s a bit challenging but hold on… read the following tips and you’ll be able to meet the challenge head on!
1. Cook at home
Try to cook at home as much as possible. Eating out might be an easier affair but it is always a good option to know what you add in every dish. When you cook at home, you have the ability to control the amount of every ingredient that goes in. You will literally watch what you eat (and cook).

2. Be picky
Always pause and take a moment to analyze the menu. Try to balance the spread so that you don’t end up eating unwanted calories. Choose one or two of the most appealing foods and take time in savouring them as you eat. When you focus and relish on what you eat, you tend to eat lesser compared to the amount you eat when you talk to your friends as you fail to track what you’re eating.

3. Don’t save up your hunger
Never control your hunger and tell your mind that you are about to give yourself a treat and so it’s okay to starve. Research has proved that one tends to eat more than usual when in a famished state. Before an event consider snacking on foods that are rich in protein like nuts, boiled eggs, cottage cheese, reduced fat yogurt, etc.

4. Pay special attention to the starters
It is a proven case that your starters primarily decide how much you will end up eating. Most of the starters are so rich that they make you feel full and say no to main course. It is therefore necessary to opt for starters that will help you enjoy a wide variety of foods in the spread in small proportions and you will not feel guilty about not having tasted something. Remember that when the banquet is large, you have to taste and not eat (if you know what we mean!).

5. Fresh by goodness
Choose foods that are fresh and natural. We definitely know that salads are not reserved for festivals but sometimes when you eat salads with the right kind of sauces (in minimal proportions), they can be a rich treat too!

6. Leftovers should be shared

When you host a party, leftovers are inevitable. You really don’t have to think about storing it and eating it for the next few days. Instead buy storage boxes and pack them up for your friends and family so that they can take it when they leave the party. The trick here is to distribute and get over with it.

We know that food and festivals go hand in hand. But with the above tricks you can stick to your healthy eating.
References:

http://www.metronews.ca/life/h ealth/2015/12/22/tips-to-get-y ou-through-festive-mealtimes.h tml

http://www.asteronlife.com.au/ balance/nutrition/christmaseat ing#sthash.VH7lBgiJ.dpbs

5 Tips to Burn Your Fat & Not the Fun This Festive Season

It’s that time of the year when everything around you seems fun and exciting. The festivity calls for dance, music & most importantly plates of temptation (Oh yes! We meant the yummy food!). Many fitness buffs dread the festive season since temptations are all around!
Here we give you 5 fun alternatives that will stop you from giving excuses during the festive season:
1. Shake it. Shake it. Shake it.

Dancing is the most fun part of being at a festival and one of the coolest and interesting ways to burn that extra fat and tone your muscles effortlessly. And most importantly, there are no set protocols unlike other fitness routines. You will be the master of your dance while you shake, shake, shake. You’ll easily burn 400-750 calories an hour when you dancercise.

2. Do the Chores

When families get together, the intensity of household work just shoots up. Nobody will want to invest time in cleaning the house or dishes or even go buy groceries. But remember that all these things can turn out to be interesting workouts when you do them with your favourite cousin, uncle or aunt. Try this out and see how beautifully you bond with them as well.

3. Decorate the House

Your house also has to look beautiful just like you. So give it the attention it deserves by decorating the house along with your family members. While you hang those flowers and lights, you are inadvertently giving your body much needed stretches.

4. Go Shopping:

This is a great way to lose weight especially if you love shopping. Even if you walk around the mall the entire day, with those big shopping bags (equivalent to dumbbells?) in your hands, it still seems interesting and exciting. It’s a good way to trick your brain into doing some effective workout.

5. Distribute Sweets to Neighbours:

Are you living in a colony where neighbours are like family? That gives you all enough reason to distribute the sweets that you made and share the love. It’s even better if you walk all the way to their houses by climbing up & coming down the stairs in case you live in an apartment.

References:

http://www.india.com/top-n/10- simple-tips-to-stay-in-shape-t his-diwali-697197/

https://www.getthegloss.com/ne ws/5-easy-ways-to-stay-fit-and -healthy-this-festival-season

5 Tricks to Beat Jet Lag

5 Tricks to Beat Jet Lag

Beating jet lag after a trip can be quite a task if it was in a different time zone. Your body follows a certain rhythm called circadian rhythm according to which it clocks all the functions of its organs. These rhythms talk to your body in a manner trained by your daily routines. Your sleep cycles however are not very easy to re- tune and will require quite a bit of an effort for a considerable amount of time.

Here are 5 brilliant tips you can follow to fight jet lag:

Trick your sleep when you fly:Make sure you take short naps as and when possible while you fly. For early morning arrivals, try getting some sleep on the plane to help you stay awake till the night. If your arrival time is in the night, avoid sleeping in the flight.
Strictly no alcohol:If you feel you need alcohol to put you to sleep, remember that it is not the best way to trick your system. Increased alcohol consumption can make you feel sleepy but can at the same time enter your bloodstream and make you feel nauseated when jet lag hits you. It is also better to avoid caffeine when you fly.
Embrace sunlight:Sunlight stimulates the cells in your body and rejuvenates them making you feel less sleepy and tired. So the next time you land, make a visit to the nearest park or beach and feel the difference yourself.
Walk barefoot:Whenever possible, remove your footwear and get earthed to the ground. It has been proved that when the energy from the earth flows through your feet and into your body, it creates an intense stimulation which will help you beat jet lag. However, this might have adverse effects if the ground is too hot or too cold. So try this technique only when the temperature is moderate.
East or west:Your body needs to be tuned to the new time zone at least a week before you plan to make that trip. If you’re travelling west try to sleep as late as possible and if you’re travelling east go to bed earlier than usual and wake up accordingly.

References

http://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewbender/2014/04/08/beating-jet-lag-8-ways-youre-doing-it-wrong-and-how-to-do-it-right/2/#162acd3a6cc7

https://www.skyscanner.net/news/jetlag-15-tips-beating-timezone-tiredness

Travel Meets Mental Well-being

One could travel for many reasons. It could be to meet new people, see new things or even experience a new culture, etc. The perks of travelling are many and it significantly impacts your mental health in a positive way. Although business or work related travel could be stressful, sometimes the change in the environment by itself may be intellectually stimulating. It is always good to embrace opportunities that let you see things in a new perspective and travelling does exactly just that. It has a lot of mental health benefits like stress reduction and improved cognitive function. Also, while travelling you get to meet a lot of people which improves your social interaction levels and directly impacts your psychological fitness. Research shows that people who travel a lot tend to be more creative and better decision makers – thanks to all the fruitful exposure it gives.

Here we have listed the surprising benefits of travelling on your mental wellness:

· Makes your mind flexible: Staying in the same place and looking at the same things around you might result in constricting your thoughts. Travelling essentially helps loosen the rigid cognitive habits that have been a part of you and helps you open up your mind to try new things

· Gives space for creative thinking: When you travel to new places, you see things that are indigenous to that place. As a result, you tend to imbibe those practices which will stir your imagination and give rise to creative ideas and concepts

· Helps in giving new perspective: As your mind is always active right from the time you start your travel to making your decisions based on the places you visit, it can give rise to new way of looking at things

· Social Synergy: Since you get to meet and talk to a lot of new people, you will be able to see that you tend to empathize more on the people you meet day-to-day. This in turn has a significant impact on the kind of decisions you take in life especially at the workplace

· Increased exposure: Travel puts you through different environments having different stimuli and this lets you open up and absorb things in a wider spectrum. Suddenly you feel like you’ve had experiences that can sometimes even change your personality to a certain extent

References:
https://sequoiahamilton.wordpr ess.com/2010/09/05/benefits-of -travel/

http://www.healthfitnessrevolu tion.com/why-traveling-is-good -for-you/

Tips to Eating Right When You Travel

It’s World Tourism Day today and is the right time to plan that perfect holiday you’ve always been yearning for. One lifetime isn’t enough to explore our beautiful Earth which is why we say that every trip of yours should count. The last thing you would want to do while on vacation is to stay in your hotel room sick and weak. Eating the right kind of food is very important when you’re on the go and especially if you’re travelling to the place for the first time. Here are a few things that you should remember while planning your trip to ensure that you run behind memories without a traveler’s tummy:

1. Stay healthy wherever you stop: If you’re a lover of road trips, you will ideally be halting at various stops to refresh and recharge. These stop points can kill or build your health. If the road you take is a familiar one, make sure you do your research to figure out the best restaurants/hotels and visit the same place every time you take that route.

2. Pack healthy: Often while travelling, you may not have access to healthy food at regular intervals. To overcome this, pack healthy snacks that you like in your car and backpack.

3. Eat smaller portions in higher frequency: Most of the times you tend to burn a lot of calories than normal when you’re on a trip. It is good to keep recharging your body with healthy calories to keep your body fueled up all the time. The best things to eat include nuts, energy bars, fruits, veggies, etc.

4. Include plenty of protein: When your travel involves a long hike, a long drive or a day at the beach, prep your body with a lot of proteins as they help to stabilize the blood sugar level which is essential to keep you fit for your expeditions.

5. Watch your cheat meals: It can be quite a tricky thing to control your cravings while travelling especially when you are exposed to a lot of native food. While not all native foods are unhealthy, there can be certain specialities that are quite rich in empty calories. Be watchful of what you eat and try to compensate your diet. Make sure you limit your cheat meals to one per day.

6. Go the natural way: Every place you travel to will definitely have a supermarket stocked with healthy fruits and vegetables. Make that effort to visit the supermarket and shop for your favourite fruits & veggies that you can stock in your hotel’s refrigerator and enjoy as a good snack.

References:

http://www.independenttraveler .com/travel-tips/safety-and- health/food-safety-how-to- avoid-getting-sick-while- traveling

http://www.menshealth.com/nutr ition/travel-healthy-eating

Keep Fit When On The Move

While travelling refreshes your mind, exercise recharges your body. You’re probably not the only person making excuses for not working out while travelling. Staying fit while traveling can be quite tricky even if you have a gym at your hotel – thanks to tightly packed itineraries. Human beings are creatures of habit and can stick to routines well, but when presented with a change in the normal lifestyle, everything takes a hit. Try these simply tips to keep yourself in shape when on the go!

1. Start right from the airport by walking around and doing a bit of window shopping while you wait to board your flight.

2. Make frequent visits to the washroom on your flight and make sure you do some stretches while you do so (always be considerate of the people near you and follow flight etiquette).

3. Pack fitness accessories with you that are light to carry like skipping ropes, travel hoops, muscle massager, balance disc, etc.

4. Do a little bit of research and find out good deals in gyms in the city you’re travelling to. This will give you a psychological boost to get up from your bed and find time for hitting the gym when you’re on the go.

5. Hire a mountain bike if possible and use it to explore the place instead of hiring a car.

6. If you’re going on a business trip along with your colleagues, make a group fitness workout plan as part of your itinerary and stick to it.

7. Resistance bands are an ideal choice for workout while travelling as they are easy to carry and perfect for indoors & outdoors. There are a number of exercises that you can do with it and it is a good alternative for people who prefer not to run outdoors while travelling.

8. Sketch your travel plan and include a lot of interesting options like hiking, camping, swimming, golfing, open air gym, etc. which will help you keep you on your fitness track.

9. Hotel rooms are packed with interesting furniture. There are various exercises you can do with these options that can be quite fun and interesting.

10. Making use of what you have is always the best resort in times of crisis. Backpacks, water bottles, etc. can be excellent tools for your weight training exercises.

References:

http://outofyourcomfortzone.ne t/9-tips-to-stay-in-shape-whil e-backpacking-or-during-your- travels/

https://breakingmuscle.com/str ength-conditioning/4-killer- workouts-for-while-youre-on- holiday-or-vacation

« Older Entries Recent Entries »